Costume Jewelry

I never used to be a jewelry or accessory type of gal, but after blogging for a few years I've learned that a statement piece goes a long way. If you took away the necklace and belt, the outfit would be bland and boring like a cake without frosting. I'm a rather big fan of costume jewelry, but prefer to purchase inexpensive pieces for the reason that most costume jewelry is made of cheap metals and imitation stones. So I do tend to stay away from designer types and shop for them at retailers like Forever21. That's just my take, but I could totally understand why someone (with a bigger budget) would be willing to shell out more for designer pieces because of their unique designs and esthetics.
Ladies, what's your take on costume jewelry and is their a limit on how much you'd spend on a piece?

Wearing:

Loft Petite Modern Skinny Jeans. Light Autumn Indigo. 00P /24.
(also available in darker autumn, soft blue, black, grey & rinse wash.)
Read my review here. Last day for 40% off everything (use code NOW40)

AT Placket Blouse (similar here).

Forever21 Belt. (similar here  & with other pretty colors available too)

B. Makowsky Purse. (similar here)

AT Pumps. (similar here)

F21 Bib Necklace

Use Code U8RFS4 for 10% off at forever21.com

 Here's a few beautiful necklaces that are statement pieces on their own and all under $21!

Faceted Faux Stone Necklace | Opaque Rhinestone Necklace | Fringe Necklace

Dangling Beaded Necklace | Bauble Necklace | Bejeweled Teardrop Necklace

And for those who have requested hair & makeup tutorials, I will try to get to it in the next couple of weeks. I hear ya!

Giveaway: Win A DIY Dress Inspired by Stella McCartney

Good morning ladies!  I'm so excited to share my latest DIY effort that was inspired by this Stella McCartney Dolly dress worn by Kate Moss (below). This dress is simply stunning and so sexy, I wanted it the moment I saw it on Kate. I love the color blocking and ingenious use of the silhouette to emphasize curves and a slim waist. It is a dress that is so figure flattering for every body type. After learning the dress was by SM, I knew it would be out of my price range and something I couldn't afford so I decided to make my own. 

After a few months of sewing, I am ready to share my DIY skills with fellow readers and bloggers. I'd like to take this opportunity to make a custom dress for one lucky winner. If you are interested in entering this giveaway, please proceed to the bottom of this page to learn how!

Rules:

• Giveaway open to all US and Canadian residents and prize will be shipped to those addresses only.
• Entrant must be 18 years and older.
• 1 winner will be chosen by random.org.
• Last day to enter the contest is 11:59 pm PST on May 11th (Sunday).
• Winner will be announced on this blog on May 13th (Tuesday). You have 48 hours to email me to claim your prize. If you fail to claim your prize within the given time, another winner will be drawn.
• Winner will also need to provide me with their measurements and it will take up to 3 weeks to receive their prize after I receive that information.

Please leave a separate comment for every entry you have submitted.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a public follower of this blog.

• [1 entry] Simply follow me via GFC by clicking on "Join this Site" (top right corner of this page).

Optional Entries:

• [1 entry] Follow @AllAbtFashStuff on Twitter and let me know your Twitter username in the comment.
• [1 entry] Tweet the following: Win A DIY Dress Inspired by Stella McCartney from @allabtfashstuff. Visit http://allaboutfashionstuff.blogspot.com/ to find out how!
• [1 entry] Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post. Please provide link to post in the comment section.
• [1 entry] Pin a picture from this post and link back to this giveaway. Please provide link to the pin in the comment section.

Disclosure: This post/giveaway is not sponsored by Stella McCartney. The material needed to make this dress will be paid for by me.

Good luck to all and thanks for entering!

Orange Crush

I just booked my summer vacation to the Grand Cayman Islands and all I can kind about are beach cover ups and bikinis!

High Low Cover-Up | Lace Cover Up | Striped Bikini Top | Striped Bikini Bottom | Smocked Shorts

Tangerine Rose Bikini Top | Tangerine Rose Bikini Bottom | Playsuit | Trapeze Slip | Broderie Cover Up

Happy friday and have a great weekend everyone!!

Pretty Pastels

There's always a certain piece of clothing that will instantly make you feel and look good. At the moment, this lilac sheath dress is my pick me up that puts a smile on my face.

Ladies, is there a piece of clothing, shoes or accessory that does the same for you?

DIY Dress | AT Placket Shirt (similar) | F21 Necklace (similar) | AT Pumps (similar) | LV Palermo

Below are a few lilac sheath dresses I found in case you wanted one for yourself!

Camille Dress | Luna Dress | Peplum Lilac Sheath | Belted Sheath

Not Vintage

 I've had a couple of people ask me if this dress is vintage. No it is not, but it is from Asos.

c/o Asos - A Wear Peplum 40's Dress. Size 2 Regular. See my review here.

H&M Jacket.

F21 Star Necklace. (similar here)

Miss Sixty T-Strap Sandals. (similar here)
LV Clutch

Too Warm For Day Time

It's been really nice during the daytime in SF with temperature in the 70s, but once the sun sets the temperature gets pretty cool and the breeze from the bay can be quite chilly. For those who are traveling to SF during this spring or summer season, I'd recommend packing a jacket, a light scarf and pants for cooler temps during the evening. 

This is an outfit I wore to a friend's b-day dinner over the weekend.

F21 Blouse. (similar here)

H&M Scarf. (similar here)

Urban Outfitter BDG Grazer Jeans. Size 24. Ankle area slimmed.

  BP.  'Trolley' Ankle Boot. Size 5. Cognac leather.  Read my review here.

F21 Lacquered Triangle Charm Necklace

F21 Crossbody. (similar here)

For those of you who are not on Twitter, here are a couple of updates from the beautiful day. I spent a couple of hours at the beach with my gf laying out since we had super warm temps in the 80s. Afterwards, I met up with my bf for happy hour at Pacific Catch for drinks and yummy food. It was one of the best Mondays ever! Wish everyday was like this!

VS Bikini Top & Bottom (similar here). Read my review here.

VS is running a promo for their Beach Sexy Triangle Bikini Set for only $19 (today only) - Use code 19BIKINI.

Also, purchase $40 worth of swimwear and get free shipping - Use code SHIPSWIM40.

Happy Hour @Pacific Catch

Loft Petite Modern Skinny Jeans Review + F&F Picks

Good morning ladies!

I stopped by Loft for the F&F event for some good savings and also to check out their petite merchandise. I picked out a couple of tops, dresses and this pair of jeans to try on, but out of everything, I wasn't expecting that these jeans would be what I'd fall in love with.

 What I really love about the jeans is the way they fit. Not only do the jeans fit nicely around the waist (no gaps!), they make your tush look firm and lifted and the length is perfect for someone with a shorter inseam. Most of my jeggings have a lot of stretch and sometimes it can feel like you're wearing leggings and not actual jeans. What's great about these is that the material is more stiff with just a hint of stretch so they are still comfortable to wear. These jeans are so slimming and makes my legs look so much more slender than they actually are. I wore these out for a few hours during dinner and they definitely held its shape and did not sag in areas like in the butt or the knees. The pants sit low in the waist (but not too low where you're butt is hanging out) so it makes it comfortable when you're sitting or just ate too much during dinner. I almost forgot to mention (and was expecting to pay more!), these jeans came out to be only $30 after tax. What a deal right?! I highly recommend these jeans and would definitely consider purchasing in another color!

Measurements:

Inseam: 28" | Waist: 13" across | Hips: 16" across

Wearing:

Loft Petite Modern Skinny Jeans. Light Autumn Indigo. 00P /24
(also available in darker autumn, soft blue, black, grey & rinse wash.)

Gap Tank. XSP. One of my favorite tanks ever and comes in so many pretty colors!
Gap is also running a promo (25% off - use code GAP25)

Coach Pumps.(similar here)

Aritzia Blazer. (similar here & here) 

F21 Faceted Faux Stone Necklace.

Here are my other F&F Picks:
Floral Dream Shell (very pretty in person) | Scalloped Lace Tee | Sleeveless Linen Dress |  Pretty Waves Maxi | Corded Dobby Stripe Dress |Wave Print Cap Sleeve Dress (XXSP fits well) | Diamond Eyelet Cotton Dress (gorgeous color!) | Corded Dobby Striped Blazer

F&F 40% off code: FRIENDST (update - the sale is extended to Tuesday!)

Loving: B&W Stripes

 A current trend that will remain a staple in my closet!
Price from $15 to $60.

Striped Prom Skirt | Vertical Striped Skinny Jeans | Striped Cotton Dress | Stripe It Lucky Skirt

Sheer Striped Blouse | Striped Dress with Full Skirt | Striped Shift Dress |  Bikini Top | Hipster Bottom

Neon Yellow

I am a late comer to the neon yellow party because I'm most comfortable when wearing colors that are more subtle. I'd say it's starting to grow on me and I'm loving it as a statement piece to my neutral outfits. I'm also not a fan of spending a fortune on trendy items as they might go out of style quickly and therefore,  I won't get much wear out of them. Luckily, I found this cute Ann Taylor clutch in store for only $13 (after discount) and couldn't wait to carry it!

Wearing:

H&M Top. (similar here) 

DIY Skirt. See 9 more pairings here. (similar here & here)

Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps. (similar here & here)
F21 Necklace. (similar here) 

AT Exotic Clutch. Use code 4FRIENDS13 for 30% off (expires after today!)

Note: my camera captured the clutch as a lemon yellow color, but IRL it is more of a lime yellow (see this pic).

I found a few items that are great for those who are interested in incorporating the neon yellow trend into their closet without having to invest a lot of $$.
Everything below is priced under $25.

Lace Dress |  Maxi Dress |  Starburst Spike Earrings | Belt | Oblong Scarf

Textured Longline Sweater | Bubble Necklace | Long Sleeve Woven Shirt

DIY Lilac Sheath Dress

The first time I met SewPetiteGal, I remember having so many sewing questions for her. She was incredibly knowledgeable and explained everything to me in layman's terms. What really stuck in my mind was her mention of princess seams. She said they were very flattering and made a garment fit very close to the body. Ever since then, I knew I wanted to make a sheath dress with princess seams! 

I'm sure there is a mathematical or analytical formula for creating princess seams, but I kind of just made up my own version. See the below picture of the panels I created for the front & back of the dress. The sole reason I don't do tutorials is because I don't follow conventional sewing methods and I'm sure my techniques are very unorthodox, and I would hate to lead my readers astray. But if you are looking for sewing tutorials, please visit SewPetiteGal's blog! I refer to her blog all the time for all my sewing questions.

 Ever since I started doing DIYs, I've been wanting to incorporate color into my projects. I'm normally a neutral kind of girl, but there's something so fun about working with colors. The fabric I'm using here is a silk wool blend. Besides the beautiful color, I love the texture of the fabric as well. It's very smooth, but also has a good weight to the fabric and prevents any under garments from peaking through. It is definitely a material that is great for sheath dresses or for suiting pieces.

 

Wearing:

DIY Lilac Sheath. Similar here & here.

J. Crew Cardigan. Similar here.

Forever21 Bib Necklace. I am in love with this statement necklace. It will surely make any outfit pop!

Franco Sarto Sandals. (similar here & here)

 

I wore this dress (below) to go shopping in this weekend. I paired it with wedges and a denim jacket for a more casual look.

During my shopping trip, I discovered all these new yellow bags that Coach just released.

I love love love this Coach Saffiano Leather Mini Satchel (comes in 5 other colors)! The color is vibrant and beautiful and would be great for any spring or summer outfit. It is also the perfect size for someone my height and priced VERY reasonably!

Citrus Colors + Ann Taylor F&F Picks

Wearing:

Aritzia Sweater. (similar here)

DIY Skirt. See 9 more pairings here. (similar here & here)

Michael Kors Python Tote.

 Nine West Reelymind Sandals. Size 5.

I also wanted to alert everyone that Ann Taylor is having their friends and family this weekend.

 I picked up this Exotic Clutch  in store for only $13! And just a note, in person the color is more lime than yellow.

Use code: 4FRIENDS13

Here are my other picks!

Spring Jacket | Laser Cut Dress | Cabochon Necklace | Slim Stretch Ankle Pants 

Ponte Garden Top | Paisley Skirt | Lace Cut-Out Skirt | Kelsey Ankle Strap Sandals

Re-Working An Old Favorite

This old Asos sheath dress has been one of my favorite items in my closet. I love the fun burnt orange-y color and the fit of the dress. It has always been a work staple and a dress that's great worn alone or with a collared shirt underneath. I wanted to maximize the dress even more and wear it out casually on the weekends. Usually I'd pair this dress with a blazer for work, but I opted for a denim jacket for a laid back look. I thought booties would be more ideal than pumps since they are more fun and comfortable. I chose a chevron necklace for a pop of interest and to add a splash contrast against the dress.

Do you think this combination works or should this sheath dress be paired with dressier items? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Asos Petite Pencil Dress. Sold Out. (similar here & here which looks almost identical but $$$!)

H&M Denim Jacket. (similar here & here)

  BP.  'Trolley' Ankle Boot. Size 5. Cognac leather. My new favorite pair of shoes to walk in! They are incredibly comfortable. Read my review here.

F21 Chevron Necklace. (similar here)

Dress Into A Skirt

Happy Monday and hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! :D
I am wearing my DIY dress as a skirt here.

 DIY dress as a skirt.  (similar here, here and here)

Forever21 Blouse. (similar here)

 Michael Kors Women's Berkley T-Strap Sandals

Coach Factory Tote. (similar here)

Henri Bendel Rivet Wrap Bracelet (in different colors here). A sweet gift from my former coworker & his wife.